To Become a Leader
by f3296
Summary: Based on the 2018 version: Leo is angry that he isn't picked as leader and wants to prove himself. When he is told to babysit Mikey, He has a chance to show he can be a great leader. Will he succeed or will he crack under the pressure? *Turtle Tots
1. Chapter 1

Step 1: Babysit

.

.

.

Leo sat with his knees up to his chest, arms cross at the top, and bottom lip pushed out as he watched Master Splinter's show play on the wall. He was mad because he wasn't allowed to go up top with Master Splinter, Donnie, and Raph for scavenging.

He growled and threw his hands down to his side to see Donnie packing up his little backpack with some trinkets and a tracker and Raph gloating to their dad on how happy he was he was the leader.

Leo wanted to be the leader.

He was really mad when Splinter said Raph was the one taking charge since he was bigger and older. Leo was faster, and had better one liners considering he was only eight. He looked over again and saw and saw Raph walk away and took his chance. He bounced from the couch and ran straight to Splinter who was taking another bite from a block of cheese.

Splinter was slightly taken back from little blue running up to him so quickly.

"What is it?" He asked with a full mouth.

"I wanna go." Leo said simple and sweet. Splinter took a moment and swallowed his piece of cheese.

"No." he said before walking away. Leo rolled his eyes and ran towards his dad.

"But why? Donnie goes with you every time and Raph is too big to hide." Leo tried to protest.

"Donatello is smart and can keep track of where we've been and Raphael can fight if needed." Splinter explained.

"I can fight! I've been practicing! Watch!" Leo tried to show off when a kata he had been attempting to master.

"The answer is still no Leonardo." Splinter responded, sucking down a cup of milk.

"But I wanna show I can be a great leader. Better than Raph." He pouted once again, crossing his arms across his chest. Splinter stopped slurping at his cup and turned the young turtle.

"You are not ready to be a leader. You have much to learn. Raphael by proxy will be but you, you must earn that title. And it will not be earned by a bringing home food." Splinter said.

"Then how? I want to prove to you I can do anything!" He said with optimism. Splinter hummed, looking around and smiled. He pointed at the table, where the youngest was drawing his latest picture, humming a tune to himself as he painted the colors across the paper. Leo dropped dropped his jaw.

"You, are going to babysit." Splinter said simply as he started to walk to the front where Donnie and Raph were waiting for him.

"What?! What kind of job is that?" He protested, hearing the snickering from Donnie and Raph.

"As a leader, you must learn how to take care of your teammates. You will be taking care of Mikey while we are away." Splinter said.

"Wooo Look at Nanny Leo!" Raph Taunted, getting a high three to Donnie. Leo growled and bunched his fists ready to pounce but was stopped by Splinter.

"Prove to me you can do this. Yes?" Splinter suggested. Leo pierced his lips, and nodded in agreement. Splinter smiled and walked away to the front door.

Leo watched with sad eyes as Splinter and his two other brothers left the lair. He huffed and walked back over to the table where Mikey was engrossed in his picture. Leo watched the skill of his youngest brother in the arts, drawing himself his favorite superhero, and was impressed but was still irritated that this was the job he was given. There was no way he would become a leader with a babysitting gig. Leo sat there and pondered over what he can do to convince Master Splinter he was meant to be a leader. He scratched the top of his head, feeling the fabric from his mask as he thought.

It finally hit him. Master Splinter has been wanting the sequel to the Japanese comedy movie he watches every night. Leo knew what he needed to do. He would go to the local movie store and pick up and bring it to him, convincing him that he should be leader. It was for sure to work.

He got so excited he bounced out of his seat and started to pack a small bag to head up.

"Leo?" A small voice caught his attention. He looked over to see Mikey staring at him in confusion. "What are you doing?" He asked. Leo knew he couldn't leave Mikey alone. He rummaged around to look for another bag and when he did he tossed it to his little brother.

"We're going up top. Lets go!"

* * *

They were only about a mile away from the lair till they made it to the manhole that Leo remember would lead right next to the old video store which he for a fact would still have the movie.

"Leo are you sure we can be out here? Wer'e gonna get in trouble." Mikey said in a whisper, looking around the dark sewer tunnel.

"Yeah Mikey were getting something that will make Master Splinter happy. So happy he might let us eat ice cream for dinner for a week." Leo said as he started up the ladder to top side. Mikey smiled at the idea of eating ice cream for dinner since it was his favorite meal. As he started to reach for the ladder, he heard a strange noise.

Leo made his way up to the top of the ladder and tried with all his might to move the manhole, not being prepared for the weight of it.

"Mikey, hurry up so you can help me with this." He called. When he received no response, he looked down to see Mikey wasn't on the ladder.

"Mikey?" He called again, sliding down the side of the rails till his feet hit the bottom. He skimmed to see that in the bit of dimness he was given, his baby brother was nowhere in sight.

"Mikey!"

* * *

 _ **A/N: Just a little story of Leo's rise to a future leader (: based on the 2018 version. Hope you all enjoyed so far! Leave comments and reviews! Till next time!**_

 _ **-F**_


	2. Step 2

**Step 2: Get out of the sewer**

Oh man.

 _Oh man oh man oh man oh man!_

Leo pounced down back to the bottom of the latter and scanned the sewer as far as he could see. Which wasn't much.

"Mikey!" Leo yelled and started down the way they had come. When he still couldn't see his little brother he took a quick right and darted down the darken tunnel, away he was not familiar with.

"Mikey where did you go?" He yelled once again. He suddenly heard a splash and a grunt. He darted towards the noise to see Mikey in the water, looking like he was wrestling with something.

"What are you doing?" He asked, looking over his brothers shell to see a cat stuck under some debris in the water.

"Leo help me!" Mikey said, trying to dig his little hands in the water. Leo stood for a moment more before helping his brother lift up the trash out from under the water which the cat had somehow got himself stuck in. With a little effort, they were able to finally clear it out enough to have the cat maneuver out and scurry off into the tunnels. Mikey huffed in pride and Leo looked down at him.

"What were you thinking? I told you to stay behind me." Leo said.

"I mean, technically I stayed behind you." Mikey responded with a grin. Leo groaned.

"Come on. Let's head back." He said, turning and making sure his baby brother was following him.

They made it about 50 feet or so till Leo realized he had no idea where they were.

"Uh.." Leo scanned the multiple entrances and couldn't remember lead back to the latter, let alone to the lair. Leo looked down at Mikey to see he was just as lost as he was.

"Where are we going?" Mikey asked. Leo needed to think quick, he couldn't panic yet.

"Uh, this way!" he pointed to the left and quickly dragged Mikey down the tunnel.

It felt as if they had been walking for miles, they were not meeting up with any landmarks Leo had recognized and Mikey was too little to remember anything important.

"Leo I'm hungry."

And speaking of Mikey,

"Leooooo, I want water!" Leo tried to ignore his brothers pleas.

"Leooooooooo!" Mikey whined. Leo growled and turned.

"Mikey I don't have anything! I can make you a sandwich when we get home!"

"When is that gonna be?"

"I don't know!" Leo's voice echoed in tunnels and immediately regretted it seeing the tears coming from Mikey's eyes.

"Wait, wait don't cry! I'm sorry I didn't mean to yell." Leo tried to comfort. Mikey wiped away the tears with his little fists.

"Are we gonna be lost forever?" Mikey said through his sniffles. Leo bit his lip.

"No way. We gotta get back or else Raph will eat all the cookies." Leo tried to brighten the mood. A small smile came on Mikey's face, reassuring Leo he still trust him. He patted Mikey's shell before leading the way once again to somewhere and hopefully somewhere he could recognize.

Leo leaned against the wall, feeling the strain in his tiny feet and huffed. He had no idea where he was going or how to get back. He looked back to see Mikey sluggishly following, seeing the exhaustion. He sat down against the wall and tried not to cry. Master Splinter was right, he wasn't ready to be a leader. He and Mikey were gonna be lost in these tunnels forever and it was his fault.

"Leo? You okay?" Mikey asked, sitting close and reaching up to help wipe Leo's tears away. Leo shook his head and smiled.

"Definitely. Just-just can't remember how to get out." he admitted. Mikey looked around the dark tunnel and his eyes sparkled.

"Why don't we go up top and see what's around? The lair is right under that old warehouse at the dock right?" Mikey asked. Leo felt like he had just been hit in the head with a pillow. Why didn't he think of that! Of course he knew more of what up top looked like more than the same walls in the tunnels.

"You're a genius Mikey!" Leo cheered jumping up from where he was. "I don't care what Donnie has to say you're pretty smart." He said leading the way to the closest latter.

"Thanks!" Mikey smiled then instantly dropped. "Wait what did Donnie say?" He hollard chasing after Leo.

* * *

They made it to the man hole and with everything he had, Leo pushed it off its hinge and to the side. He slowly popped his head out to see where they were to notice they were closer to the dock than he had anticipated. He suddenly got excited to see that the old warehouse was in eyes sight.

"Mikey were almost home!" He bounced out of the manhole and on the surface helping Mikey up.

"We gotta stay quiet and get through the construction zone to the next man hole and we'll be home!" Leo soon darted towards the warehouse with Mikey hot on his heels. He was so excited to finally be able to get home that he did not anticipate the large hole in the ground.

"Leo!" Mikey yelled as he watched Leo tumbled down in the dirt and mud.


	3. Chapter 3

Step 3: Become a Leader

.

.

.

"Leo!" He heard Mikey call out from the bottom of the ditch. Leo sat up and groaned. Looking down at his arm he saw he got a cut from the slide down. It wasn't anything too serious but it sure did hurt.

"Leo! Leo are you okay?" Mikey called out again.

"Shhh. Mikey be quiet! We don't know if there are any humans around!" He told him. Mikey looked around to see if there was a quicker way down and took the same route Leo did. He slid all the way down, losing control and slamming right into one of the beams.

"Mikey!" Leo got up quickly and rushed over seeing Mikey was holding his face and crying. When he moved his little hands, Leo saw that one of Mikey's teeth was knocked out and face tinted with red from the impact. Leo immediately wrapped his arms around Mikey and gave him the biggest hug he could muster.

"Mikey I'm so sorry! I just wanted to be a good leader. I wanted to show dad I could do it." He cried, baseball sized tears rolling down his little face. He was so mad at himself. He couldn't do it. Master Splinter was right, he wasn't ready to be a leader.

Mikey wiggled out of his brother hold. He reached up and untied his mask and tied it around Leo's wounded arm. Leo looked down at the orange bandana on his arm and back up at his little brother. Mikey smiled at him with a now gap in his teeth.

"That's okay Leo. I don't really care if your a leader just be my brother." He told him. "Sure this wasn't a good game of follow the leader but it was still fun." Leo stopped crying and smiled. It was nice to hear Mikey speak so highly of him. He didn't feel as bad knowing he got them stuck in a bad situation. Instead, he was determined to get them out.

Leo looked around and gasped in excitement as he saw a ladder leading out of the man made ditch.

"Mikey we gotta get to the ladder and get to the closest manhole." He said getting up and leading his little brother up the ladder. They were quick and silent, moving along with the shadows across the street to the man hole that was next to the old barber shop. They ducked in and Leo knew where to go to get home.

* * *

"We made it!" Leo called out in the empty lair noticing quickly that they got back before Master Splinter, Donnie and Raph did. He was relieved to find the empty lair thought because that meant he didn't have to get a lecture from Master Splinter.

"Boy I'm beat." Mikey mentioned, sitting down on the couch with Leo following his lead. Mikey reached over and took off his bandana to look at Leo's cut. The wound was minimal, nothing to really worry about. But, there was a small stain of blood on the middle of the bandana. Leo saw the stain and got an idea. He took the bandana and ripped it in half, having it so that it was longer but thinner, keeping the eye holes where they were. He tied it back on Mikey's head. The tails were shorter but it seem to fit him better. But, he could see the uncertainty on his little brothers face. So, Leo took his own mask off and ripped it as well. Though his tails were slightly longer, than Mikey's, he placed it on his head and he slightly felt more like a ninja and seeing Mikey be more comfortable with the new mask, made him feel a little proud.

"We're home!" Raph's voice boomed through the lair. Mikey and Leo looked up to see Raph's pudgy little arms carrying in some groceries and Donnie playing around with some new tech he must have picked up at the junkyard. Master Splinter looked over his two other sons and noticed the cut on Leo's arm.

"Anything eventful while we were gone?" He asked. Leo felt slightly tensed.

"What? Nope nothing at all!" He responded with a nervous laugh. Master Splinter watched him for a moment and laughed.

"Alright. Well, dinner will be ready soon." Master Splinter knew Leo was not being truthful but also felt his most ambitious son had learn a very valuable lesson.

Leo huffed in relief that he wasn't interrogated and saw that Mikey had the same look on his face.

"Hey, what happened to your mask?" Raph asked, grabbing at the back of Mikey's mask.

"New look. You can't have it!" Mikey pouted.

"Pshh, don't want it. Looks weird. I'm hungry." Raph announced heading towards the kitchen, followed by Mikey and Donnie. From the distance Leo could hear Donnie commenting on Mikey's absent tooth. Leo sat there for a moment and looked down at the remainder of his mask in his hand and smiled. He wanted to be a leader and that was a dream he would always have. But, he had accepted he just wasn't ready yet. And he was okay with that because for now, he would just enjoy his life with his family.

* * *

 _ **A/N: AND ITS DONE! Sorry it was short it was jsut a small little drabble that came to mind when the new series came on which by the way I recomend people to watch its really funny! Well, time to work on all the other projects I have. Till next time!**_

 _ **-F**_


End file.
